Quadrille
by KrystalFlare
Summary: Sometimes you do not have a choice... sometimes life-changing decisions require a great deal of courage, to follow through... and sometimes their effects are far more unexpected than your imagination could ever conjure.
1. Author's note - IMPORTANT

For those of you who already know me, I'm aware it's not in my custom to write author's notes, except maybe at the beginning of a story's chapter or on my profile page. For those of you who don't know me... it's wonderful to meet you, my lovelies :D

Now, the reason for this separate author's note? I just want to clear up some things for everyone before you proceed to reading the story. **PLEASE DO READ THIS, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT!**

1. This story will be an **OC insertion**. What does that mean? Basically, a female OC will get her butt thrown into the _Hollow Crown_ canon universe, while I sit back and watch the characters squirm like rats in a maze *cue mad scientist laughter*

2. The general story thread will follow the _Hollow Crown_ movies – namely Henry IV parts 1 & 2 and Henry V. It will also continue after the ending of Henry V, which brings me to my next point...

3. This story, while following the canon universe in general, **will contain AU (alternate universe) elements**. What am I referring to? Basically, I twisted certain historical facts to suit the story, rather than twisting the story to fit to the historical timeline. Meaning that certain characters may/may not die (admit that you cried, or at least got teary eyes, at Henry V's funeral scene from the beginning/end of the movie!), certain canon events may/may not happen, certain events may/may not happen in the historically designated year etc. And before the history Nazi in you gets pissed at me for it, I'll have you know Shakespeare did the same when he wrote the very pieces which you will find in this story. His works in themselves – which I call the "canon universe" here – do not fit 110% to the actual recorded history of Henry IV and Henry V :)

4. Please do keep in mind that I am no Shakespeare (well, obviously) so do not expect my story to be quite on par with his works. That would be impossible, the guy was a genius whereas I'm far from that. You will likely recognize certain parts of his texts, since I kept some of the original lines for some characters in certain scenes, only slightly adapted to modern English (namely without the use of _thou_, _thee_ and so on). I have tried to keep a certain... _classical English_ feel throughout the entire text – in my attempt to preserve as much of the Shakespearian vibe as I could – and I hope I haven't failed too miserably at that.

So if any of the points above is a pet peeve for anyone, then please proceed at your own risk. **You have been warned!** I do not wish to see people flaming this story or trolling it with stuff like _"but that event happened in the year X, not in the year Y"_ and other similar comments. While I understand that this may sound odd/weird/whatnot, I will let you know that I do accept even negative comments when they are conveyed in a constructive manner, which will help me improve my skills. It's also precisely why I chose to point out those things now, so that everyone will know what to expect from this story before they decide whether it's worth their time to read or not.

With that said, enjoy my lovely readers! And do toss me a review, we writers feed on them and they do wonders for our motivation as well~ :D


	2. Prologue

Soooo here we are, my lovely readers... the beginning of a new journey :D Are you excited? I sure am, and hopefully you'll love this ride as much as I do. But I won't rant on for long, I did that in the author's note which I hope you read before coming here. So enjoy, my lovelies~

P.S. I do not own any of the _Hollow Crown_ characters. I only own Odette and any other OC you might encounter along the way :)

* * *

**Prologue**

**_The year was 1399. My beloved England was still recovering from the tumultuous __events which had taken place just one month before; the Lancastrian Revolution, as the people had named it._**

**_I was but a child at the time with only ten springs weighing on my brow. But I still recall the joy... the cheers... the blessings that the masses so generously bestowed upon our new King, Henry, the fourth of that name which England had been graced with._**

**_On that day no one seemed to even recall the events which had led to his coronation: his banishment, his secret return, his plotting along with my father – his distant cousin, but the only one who had offered his help, other than the Earl of Northumberland and his uncle, the Duke of York – and finally, the deposition of King Richard II, Henry's closest cousin by blood._**

**_All this seemed forgotten as the people cheered and shouted out their happiness to the new King. I recall my father's proud smile as he rode his black horse behind Henry's white stallion... I recall my mother's joy as she and I watched them pass us by. I did not fully understand at the time why we were happy, but I was happy along with her. Her happiness made me happy as well._**

**_It was the last time I heard her melodious laugh, for she fell ill by the end of that year and passed away not more than five months afterwards. She was given a burial worthy of the highest nobles, as the King had seen fit to bestow upon my father the title of Duke of Willoughby. With my father too busy attending to the King after her death, to worry over me, I was left in the hands of my nursemaid; a fiery Welsh woman, by the name of Elain, who soon became as dear to me as a mother._**

**_With that said, there are certain moments in life when our choices affect much more than the present; they ripple outwards – as water does when you drop a rock onto the still surface of a lake – and often their full effects cannot be seen until many years have passed. I know that now... but when I made my decision to stand against my father's wish, at the tender age of sixteen, I could never have imagined how my entire life would be drawn onto a path which I had always believed to be eternally separate from mine._**

**_The year was 1405..._**

_oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo_

"Odette! Odette! In God's name... where are you, child?"

With a huff, the elderly nursemaid placed her hands onto her hips glancing about the large garden. Moments later she was nearly startled out of her skin when the teenage girl jumped out from behind a large rose bush.

"May the heavens take pity on us, with such a wild heir to your father's name..."

"Come now, beloved Elain..." the girl laughed, wrapping her arms around the woman. "You know too well there is no ill intent behind my teases."

Sighing with a light smile, the elderly maid shook her head.

"Very well, change out of these horrible rags; bathe and let me put a proper dress on you. Sir Harold is due to arrive within the hour."

With her smile fading, the raven haired girl finally moved away.

"I have no desire to see him..."

"Your desire has no importance here; it is your father's desire that matters."

"But, beloved Elain, he is as boring as a caterpillar..."

Eyeing the struggle on the old maid's face to hold back from laughing, Odette now pressed on.

"And he stinks as foul as the stables wherein the horses have emptied their bowels."

When the old woman finally let out a burst of laughter, the girl did grin and once again wrapped her arms around her nursemaid.

"I would prefer dying a maiden than marrying him..."

With another sigh – this one much heavier than the previous – Elain placed her calloused hands onto the girl's cheeks and kissed her forehead.

"You have your mother's steel heart... God rest her soul. I wish you would not have to go through this, but it is your father's wish. Do not deny him and darken his elder years, for you are all he has of Lady Jocelyn."

It was at those words that Odette's humor left her and she lowered her chocolate eyes. Some years after her mother's passing, she had finally understood and seen just how broken her father had been by his wife's death. Often, it seemed to her, he had tried raising her as he would have a son... leaving her in the care of Bevis – his soldiers' captain – to teach her how to ride and how to wield a sword and to show her the secrets of a strategic mind. And at the same time, he had tried raising her as he would have a daughter... leaving her with Elain to teach her proper etiquette and how to gain control over men through seduction and how to be a wise and balanced woman.

For all that she was grateful to her father, despite having been starved of his love as he was mostly gone to London to attend his duties to King Henry. Yet, as Elain had so wisely pointed out, she had the steel heart of her mother... marrying a man she did not desire was something she _could not_ accept. And at the same time she was torn in two by her wish to not upset her father and to not burden him with more worries than he was already bearing.

A sigh revealed her decision to put those thoughts off for a later time. Looking back to Elain she smiled again... a weak, sorrowful smile; but a shade of her former joy.

"Come and help me bathe, beloved Elain." she said softly.

Once more kissing her forehead, the old maid followed her into the castle with a heavy heart. If only the girl's mother had lived still... surely she would have found a way to convince William of how foolish his idea was to force their child into marriage with a man such as Harold. But Elain knew better than to voice such thoughts; the last thing she desired was to encourage Odette to rise against her father's word.

_oOoOo_

"My fair lady, your beauty surpasses even the angels."

Offering a graceful but ultimately fake smile, Odette merely nodded at Harold's compliment; granted, she could not speak even if she had wanted to, for she was much too busy clenching her jaw so as to keep from shuddering in disgust when he kissed her hand in a way which left a wet sensation on her skin.

Within the hour she was so bored that she felt she would go insane. All Harold knew to speak of, it seemed, was politics – whereas she desired to speak of art, of literature, of music, or simply of the beauty and grace of the starry night sky, of a flower, a beautiful stallion or a mother cradling her child whilst singing a lullaby. The prospect of a life spent with a husband who knew nothing save talks of diplomacy and treaties and laws, was – in a mild term – terrible.

She had tried... God was her witness that she had tried to understand what her father had seen so promising in Harold, that he would choose that witless oaf as her betrothed. It had actually been astounding to hear him compare her to the angles upon his arrival that evening, for she would not have believed him capable of even the slightest poetic twitch. Not even that, however, had been enough to sway her opinion of him; she still believed him to be a man more worthy of marrying a tavern wench, than a nobleman's daughter.

By all rights, she was King Henry's niece – even distantly related as her father was to him – as well as the niece to the King of France – on her mother's side – and it made her blood boil to know that her father had not considered her valuable enough as to choose a more worthy suitor.

As those thoughts swirled in her mind, whilst Harold's voice resounded ceaselessly in the background like the annoying sound of a fly buzzing in her ear, she stared into the flame of a nearby candle. And it was then that she could foresee the emptiness and desolation which awaited her, unless she took her life in her own grasp. Surely her mother would have been outraged by her father's choice of a husband for their only child. And it was the desire and hope of her mother's rage that ultimately pushed her to stand.

As though sensing the imminent danger, Elain immediately stepped to her side and gently but firmly grasped her shoulders, whilst Harold watched her with a confused expression as though he was intrigued by her unusual reaction; or perhaps he was simply irritated that she had interrupted his speech.

"Sit down, child..."

The old maid's whisper had Odette gulping as she braced herself for the decision she knew she had already made long ago, but had been afraid of pursuing as of yet... no more.

"No." she whispered back.

Tearing herself away from the old woman's grasp, she stormed out of the room leaving an utterly perplexed Harold behind. Elain herself barely had enough sense left to bow to him and mutter an apology before rushing after her.

"Child, come back..." she said gently upon entering the front room.

No response came from the young girl, but soon the sounds of fabric swishing made her perk up and she dashed into the inner chambers to find Odette trading the burgundy dress for the usual male attire she donned whilst riding or training with the soldiers.

"Odette! What in God's name are you doing, child?"

"I will to London... I'll speak to my uncle and end this madness."

Lunging forward at those words, Elain dropped to her knees and grasped Odette's hands just as she was about to tie the wide leather belt holding her sword around her waist.

"Child, I beg of you..." the old maid pleaded with a desperate look in her eyes, tears soon sliding along her aged cheeks. "Do not do this! Your father is in London, he would not let you see the King. He would have you punished..."

Stepping back and setting the sword belt around her waist, the girl then grasped her maid's face in her hands and kissed the woman's forehead.

"Beloved Elain... do not dissuade me. Would you wish me to spend my life with such a man? Would you be able to endure my sorrow and watch me wither away, bit by bit each day, like a flower starved of water?"

Seeing the hesitation on the maid's face, she decided to push further.

"Am I not my mother's daughter, as you said? Do you believe she would have been happy with father's choice? No, she would have rebelled against him and forced him to choose a better suitor. She would not have agreed to have her royal blood watered down by mixing with a dull, empty, pathetic excuse for a man, such as Harold. She would have seen me married to a French noble, before she would have handed me to an English fool."

Finally sighing in defeat, Elain merely lowered her head and pressed a kiss to the girl's hands.

"Travel safely... and do not see eye to eye with your father before you have spoken to the King. I will worry over you, and I will pray that God make the King merciful, and make him turn his ear and his heart to you."

"My father troubles me not, for I am well versed in avoiding him; only the thought of him returning and punishing you, beloved Elain, is what concerns me."

"Think not of that, child... you need your wits for the road, and more so for standing before the King."

Smiling, Odette once more kissed the old woman's forehead.

"You have been as a mother to me all these years, beloved Elain. I know not where my life will take me from here on, but I know that you will always be in my heart, come what may."

Finally tearing herself away from the weeping maid, she retrieved her cloak and made haste to the stables where she had sent one of the servants to saddle her stallion. Watching the horse's black hair shining like silk in the moonlight as she led him outside, she then trailed a hand along his face.

"Come, my friend... let us make haste that we may arrive in London by morning."

Wrapping the black cloak around her shoulders Odette hefted herself into the saddle and galloped out onto the dirt road, leaving behind the castle she had called home for the last six years. Under the veil of the night she rode on, grateful to the endurance and loyalty of her stallion which did not complain at the haste of his mistress. At the same time, Elain had watched her depart, until the darkness of the world engulfed her and the sound of hooves hitting the dry earth faded into songs of crickets.


	3. Shelter

Yessss I managed to finish this chapter tonight. So here's an extra treat for you, lovelies. Enjoy~ :D

P.S. I do not own any of the _Hollow Crown_ characters. I only own Odette and any other OC you might encounter along the way :)

* * *

**Shelter**

_Wrapping the black cloak around her shoulders Odette hefted herself into the saddle and galloped out onto the dirt road, [...] until the darkness of the world engulfed her and the sound of hooves hitting the dry earth faded into songs of crickets._

_oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo_

Along with the sun rising in the heavens came Odette's stormy arrival in London, her stallion afoam, his black coat covered in sweat drops glistening like diamonds, steam rising from his heated body into the cold autumn morning.

She had startled the gate guards, who at first had believed her to be a demon spawned from Hell itself. Once she had revealed her face and stated her name she had been allowed into the city without any further questions; for the guards knew better than to hinder a member of the Willoughby family, the dearest to the King.

It was now that she walked the muddy streets of London, having left her stallion in the care of the guards who had promised to deliver him to the royal stables immediately. In spite of her better judgment, the girl had by now decided to wander the city for a few hours, attempting to settle her thoughts in order so that she would not embarrass herself before the King. Her moment of respite was to be short lived however... with the guard delivering her stallion to the castle word reached her father that she was in the city, thus he had asked the Sheriff to find his daughter and give her in his hands, as if sensing that her arrival would bring about unpleasant events.

A mere three hours after her arrival, Odette was startled by the sight of a group of black clad men coming down the street; the fervent movements of their eyes told her that they were searching for something... or someone. Inwardly cursing at the thought that her father had already learned of her presence in London, she stepped into a side alley, breathing lightly when the group passed by without seeing her.

"So you are the one they are looking for..."

Startled by the male voice coming from behind her, the girl spun around with a hand tightly clenched around the handle of her sword. What stilled her hand before she struck him was that upon turning she found herself looking into a pair of eyes so blue and so deep that she felt as if her gaze had fallen upon the sea itself.

Smiling at her stare, the young male now stepped back whilst folding his arms. Taking a moment to look her over, the Prince found that he quite liked the sight before him.

"If you gaze upon me with such intensity befitting a lioness, my Lady, I shall forswear all my courage."

His words seemed to return her to life; and whilst she was pleasantly surprised by his artistic words, she did not wish to let herself get distracted.

"I have no time for petty attempts at wooing..." she retorted.

Ignoring the way he narrowed his eyes at her, and the sudden strength which had come to his gaze, she too looked him over.

"Are you a member of the Royal Court?" she asked.

Granted, his attire gave him away, as his clothes were clean and bore the aspect of a nobleman's garments, rather than the soiled, shredded rags wrapped around the common folk bustling in the streets.

"Perhaps..."

His evasive reply managed to draw her attention back to his face, although her reaction was not the one he had expected.

"Do you not know where you belong?" she asked, her tone betraying a shade of irony.

"Do you not know who I am?"

"I know not, and I care not for your name. Still, I know _what_ you are, if you do not offer me the help I need... and that is, useless."

For a brief moment Hal could do nothing but stare at the woman before him in shock; no one had had the gall to call him _useless_ until then... not even his own father, although God knew the man would have had all the reasons in the world to call him such. Taking his failure to reply as a refusal to help her, Odette now turned her back on him and walked out into the street again after making sure none of the Sheriff's men were around.

It took a few minutes before Hal recovered enough that he could follow her; and he found the girl just when she was dashing away from a group of Carriers which had apparently sighted her. Moving along the back alleys with ease, as he knew them by heart already, he soon caught the right moment to grab her arm and drag her into the shadows. The crowd on the street helped as well, shielding his action from the Sheriff's men who now simply passed them by whilst Hal held the girl in an unrelenting grasp, one of his hands covering her mouth to keep her from screaming in fright. Once he was sure they were far enough, he finally released her only to have Odette whirl around and scowl at him.

"Just what do you think..." she began, bent on chastising him for what she had viewed as his attempt at foiling her.

Realizing she was speaking loud enough to attract attention, and sighting the Carriers turning back to trace their steps in an attempt at figuring out where they had lost her, the young Prince gritted his teeth as his analytical mind quickly reached a decision. Before she could finish her phrase, he grabbed her arms again and shoved her against the wall, pressing his body to hers to keep her from squirming and hitting him. At the same time his lips crushed onto her own, in his attempt to keep her quiet whilst the Carriers passed by the alleyway again. What truly aided him in his endeavor, however, was the fact that his actions had surprised Odette to such a depth that she had been utterly unable to react in any way. Upon sighting the black garments of the Carriers at the corner of her eye, she finally understood the reason behind his assault on her. In turn that made her relax, a thing which Hal himself interpreted as something else.

It was odd actually... even with the danger of the Sheriff's men now gone he kept prolonging that kiss beyond his own willpower, as though his body had suddenly gained a mind of its own. Furthermore, with their bodies so closely pressed against one another he could tell – not without a measure of surprise – that she was unlike any other woman he had ever touched before. Her legs and arms were well toned and her breasts were firm against his chest; in truth it was getting to his head to some extent, for her body was unlike the soft, often saggy flesh of tavern wenches with plump thighs and floppy chests.

When he got lost in those thoughts and his hands began to roam freely, Odette finally regained her bearings and grasped his wrists whilst leaning away from his inviting mouth. By now her heart was pounding in her chest and her cheeks were flushed and her lips were slightly swollen from his merciless attack – for a moment she had actually felt as if he was trying to assert some form of authority over her; and to her great astonishment, she found that she didn't quite mind that idea.

Even if he was currently just a nameless noble, of what she knew so far, one thing she could not deny or ignore... he made her heart beat in a way that no other man ever had. Still, recalling why she had arrived to London in the first place, she now made an attempt at pushing him away only to find that she had no strength left in her arms to do so.

"I do believe that is enough, Sir..." she stated, hating her breathless tone.

The Prince's desire to offer a snarky remark at the flustered state he had left her in was only outmatched by his desire to restore his pride and prove wrong her impression that he was useless. Thus he now stepped back to release her, before speaking once again.

"Why are they chasing you? What have you done?"

His tone left Odette speechless for a moment, as she experienced the sensation that she was standing before the King himself and not some nameless male. Discarding that as a fleeting impression brought on by her current confused state, she picked herself off the wall to reply.

"I am here to see the King... my father, apparently, received word of that; I see no other reason for him to send the Sheriff out for me."

Narrowing his eyes at the fact that she had deliberately avoided giving him an actual answer, he once again grasped her arm, this time leading her away from the main streets.

"What are you doing?" she asked, despite the fact that she was following him without resistance.

"I am taking you to see the King... is that not what you said you wished?"

_oOoOo_

A mere hour later Odette was now following her unexpected rescuer into the palace gardens. The fact that the guards had let them pass without even so much as a word of inquiry only further cemented her impression that she had bumped into a high ranking nobleman... or perhaps the son of a high ranking noble family, given that he looked not much older than her. Still, the way everyone simply allowed them to pass without even bothering to question their presence there was uncanny and she began to suspect he was more than first met the eye.

Before she could dwell too much on that thought, however, she found herself entering the throne room where Henry was seated speaking to John whom she recognized from his visits at her father's estate. Being of the same age they had quickly become close friends, the Prince also sharing some of her passion for literature and music.

"Odette..." he smiled, upon sighting her. "This is a most unexpected and pleasant surprise."

Approaching and embracing her, he then stepped aside whilst Henry himself descended from the throne with a smile.

"Your father has kept you secluded far too long... you were but a child when last I saw you." he said, placing a kiss to the girl's forehead. "And still I recognized you; you have your mother's fair face, God rest her soul."

"You honor me with your gracious words, my sovereign liege." she replied, offering a shy smile in return.

Looking to his younger son, Henry now spoke again whilst motioning Odette to approach the throne.

"Call your brothers, so that they may meet your cousin."

With a slight bow the Prince rushed out of the hall, leaving only Hal there.

"My liege, may I ask why the Sheriff has sent his men to search for me and bring me here as a prisoner?"

All humor left Henry's expression at her statement, and in a moment he was no longer the caring uncle she had just seen; he was once again the dignified King of her country, ready to handle the matter at hand swiftly and firmly.

"What say you? I gave no such order..."

"Then it was my father's doing, as I suspected."

Briefly pondering on whether or not to play such a risky card, the girl now turned to the King and reached forward to grasp his hands.

"Uncle, please hear me... I arrived here to see you, for I will find no understanding in my father." she said with a pleading gaze.

Biting back a relieved sigh when he nodded, she was then utterly surprised to see Henry glancing toward her rescuer but not dismissing the young man.

"My liege, this is the young noble who aided me in escaping the Carriers and who brought me before Your Majesty." she now stated.

Sure, he wasn't quite the noblest man to walk the earth, but he had helped her nonetheless and she felt the need to repay him somehow, even if just with praise. Henry's reply, however, left her speechless.

"I am surprised to hear a woman – other than tavern wenches – speaking well of you."

Her stunned stare was only interrupted by the younger male's soft chuckle.

"Come now, father... plenty of noble women speak well of me."

With her gaze drawn back to him, Odette finally realized that the aura of royalty she had caught glimpses of had been no mere impression. Upon sighting her expression, Hal again chuckled and grasped her hand placing a soft kiss to the back of her fingers.

"O how rude of me, my Lady... I forgot to introduce myself." he state on an utterly satisfied tone. "I am Harry, Prince of Wales, heir apparent to the throne of England."

Shaking his head at his eldest son's antics, Henry now walked back to the throne.

"When will you learn proper manners, you scatter-brained boy?" he sighed.

When he turned to face them again and sit onto the throne, however, he found – not without a rather powerful sense of surprise – that something in the way his son and the girl were looking at each other as they stood there like colorful statues, reminded him of the way he and his wife had so often gazed upon one another in their private moments. Raising his arms he motioned the counselors to leave the hall and once the heavy doors had been closed, he spoke once again.

"Now leave her be, Harry... come, Odette. Tell us what brings you here."

His tone was enough to drag the girl back from where she had again become lost in the seemingly endless pools of sky beneath Hal's thin brows. Stepping away from the Prince she turned toward the throne and offered a light bow.

"My most sovereign liege, I traveled throughout the night to arrive here this morning with a personal matter."

The fact that Hal was now silently watching her with that scrutinizing gaze he had given her earlier upon their first meeting wasn't helping at all. It made her feel like a spoiled child for having come to complain to the King on such a trivial matter. Inwardly shaking her head, she clenched her jaw... no, that was not a trivial matter. Her whole future depended on what her uncle would decide after hearing her. Thus she now took a deep breath and continued speaking.

"The matter which brings me before your throne is one that – whilst it might seem trivial – is as important to me as breathing. As you well know, my liege, I am Odette of Willoughby. And though my father is but a distant relative of yours, my mother was first cousin to King Charles of France. After my mother's passing, father has dedicated more time to you than he has to me and I do not condemn him for that; for I am joyous that he takes such good care of Your Grace, and I did not lack care or education, despite lacking his presence."

When Henry merely nodded and motioned for her to continue, Odette lightly bowed her head using that as a mask for the fleeting glance she threw Hal's way. Why did he have to watch her with such undivided attention? It made her feel flustered as she kept recalling the taste of his lips and the unfamiliar but not unpleasant sensation of his strong body against hers. Nevertheless she again drew a deep breath to continue with her speech, bracing herself for the King's reaction to her words.

"Recently my father has been trying to arrange my marriage to one named Harold of Hemingway. I would not dare speak wrongly of him in front of your royal person, were you not as dear to me as an uncle."

"You would speak wrongly of him in what way? For if he truly has done something of ill intent toward you – seeking to take advantage of your father's absence – we will see that he answers for it."

"He has done nothing of the sort of malice you might be thinking of, my liege. Yet it is my strong desire that this marriage be forbidden from taking place. He is not the kind of man my mother would have chosen for me."

Ultimately her official façade crumbled away as a pleading shade – bordering on desperation – settled onto her face; even Hal himself was impressed by the intensity of the feelings he could decipher on her fair features.

"Uncle..." she said softly, almost as a fearful whisper. "I do not want to spend my life with a man I feel nothing for, except repulsion. All he ever knows to speak of is politics and warfare... and death. He knows nothing of arts or music or simply of enjoying the beauty that God bestowed upon our great lands. Mother would have been enraged at such a poor choice on my father's part... and if she would have been unable to convince him to find a better suitor, she would have surely preferred to send me away in secret and have me marry a French nobleman from her cousin's Royal Court."

The silence that followed lasted no more than a minute, although to Odette it seemed like an eternity, as she watched the crevices set above the King's furrowed brow. She knew that expression as she remembered it from the little time she had spent with her parents in London, following Henry's coronation; he was weighing her words and the current situation, to find the best solution.

"We have taken your plea into account and this is what we have to say... we will find you a better suitor."

Her first reaction was to stare at the King silently; then, as her mind finally processed his words, she had to fight back her second reaction and stop herself from leaping into his arms as joy filled her. And though she was attempting to restrain a smile, her happiness radiated from her in such a way that even Hal felt his lips twitching toward a grin. His focus was soon drawn to the doors, however, when Odette's father burst into the hall.

"My liege!" he exclaimed, only to fall silent when Henry raised his hand.

"William..." the King replied in acknowledgment of the nobleman's presence. "Why have you not informed us of your daughter's approaching wedding?"

"My sovereign King, I did not believe it to be of such great importance. It has not yet been settled beyond any doubt... I am still speaking to Sir Harold of it."

"Your daughter has spoken to us of this Harold of Hemingway... and we have decided that he is not worthy of a descendant of royal blood such as her. Therefore, we have settled upon a better suitor."

Astounded that he already seemed to have someone in mind, Odette now listened with curiosity until she saw Henry moving his arm in a sweeping motion toward his eldest son who stood off to the side.

"I believe the Prince of Wales would be a worthy match for a woman of the French royal bloodline."

Whilst both Odette and her father turned their stunned gazes upon Hal, the Prince himself set his astonished expression upon the King.

"Father, what...?" he began on an admonishing tone.

"Our decision is final, Harry!" Henry cut him off on a louder note. "We have had more than enough of your recklessness and wild escapades through London. It is our firm belief that marriage will open your eyes to responsibility and make you into a Prince more worthy of becoming King."

In truth – though such thoughts would remain secret for now – he had another reason to enforce that marriage unto his son; namely Odette being a direct descendant of the French royal bloodline, which meant that through her marriage with Harry, England stood great chances of expanding upon the French territories. Watching as his son's gaze finally turned toward the girl, he then witnessed the young Prince's stormy departure. But it did not concern him too much... Harry would grow to love Odette that much he could already tell. And Odette would learn to love Harry in return, for she would never find a better suitor than a future King.


	4. Oath

I am soooo sorry for not updating this story earlier. This chapter has been finished for three days already, but I was so invested in my _The Avengers_ story, that I completely forgot to upload it. So for that I apologize profusely.

So I won't hold you with any sort of ranting, just enjoy the story lovelies~ :D

And do toss me a review, please, I love them so much ;)

P.S. I do not own any of the _Hollow Crown_ characters. I only own Odette and any other OC you might encounter along the way :)

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**Oath**

_[...] Hal would grow to love Odette that much he could already tell. And Odette would learn to love Hal in return, for she would never find a better suitor than a future King._

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Child, it brings me such joy to see you happy again. Your mother surely rejoices in Heaven, to see you as you are now."

Smiling as she stated that whilst brushing Odette's dark strands, Elain sighed contently. Never would she have even dared to dream that things would work out so well for her darling girl. To think that the King would not only hear her plight, but would bestow upon her the honor of marrying the heir to the throne and become Queen.

Keeping silent at the maid's words, Odette still found that she couldn't hold back a fleeting smile. Yes, she was happy, that much she could not deny; in spite of her thunderous fights with Hal, he still somehow managed to bring her joy... in a way.

Yes, he was still too reckless and too bold and too wild; yes, he still wasted many an hour at the Hog's Head with a pair of lowlifes by the names of Falstaff and Poins; yes, she could not understand what he found so terribly endearing about them that he counted them as his closest friends; yes, she had caught him sleeping with the tavern wench a couple of times; yes, she had slapped him for it. And despite all that, he knew exactly what to do to get under her skin and make her forgive his escapades.

It had been a few months before she had managed to piece together that they actually shared many aspects. She too was reckless and wild for a woman; he too enjoyed literature and music as she did; she too could be as unpredictable and merciless as the storm; he too could be temperate and even pious when he chose to be so. But whenever she was angry with him, he often resorted to poetic words, comparing her to the angels; and her eyes to the stars; and her hair to the silky veil of night; and her fair skin to the pure snow; and her anger to the unbridled, burning intensity of passion... and, in short, he knew just how to turn her away from fury and make her smile again.

"He still acts like a spoiled child..." she replied, trying her best to sound upset.

"Do you dislike the King's decision?"

"Even if I did, I could not and _would not_ say so; for he was merciful enough to save me from Harold. And it would be dishonorable of me to repay his kindness with gripe. Yes, Hal is _not_ what people would expect in a King – even a future one – but I am aware that I will find no better match than him."

"Do you truly dislike the Prince so much? I saw you two laughing in the gardens yesterday." Elain pushed on with a knowing tone.

"I hate it when he does that... he has such a way with words that I can never stay angry with him, even when he deserves my wrath."

"That is a good quality in a King, child. For a King must often maintain peace with words, before he resorts to the sword."

"It is not a good quality when he uses it to make me forgive him for sleeping with other women or wasting time drinking with lowlifes."

"He will settle down... no man is so wild and reckless throughout his life. The King may be right... once he marries, the Prince may indeed give up his rowdy ways."

At those words Odette finally turned to look her maid in the eye.

"Would he? Would he indeed?" she asked, a shade of sorrow coming to her gaze. "Eight years have passed since I arrived here... and not once have I heard the Prince saying that he loves me. Or even that he finds me to be beautiful. Yes, he flatters me when his interest sees fit to do so; but he never says one pretty word to me when he does not have a certain purpose in mind."

Lowering her eyes she now bit into her lip to hold back the anger she felt rising inside her again.

"I hate him... I hate him for making my heart beat in such a way that I have never known before. I hate him for making me smile with his words... I hate him for making my heart turn to him, when I know he will not be faithful to me even if he should marry me."

"Do not speak like that, child..." Elain pleaded, kissing her forehead. "I am certain the Prince's heart is not as barren of feelings for you as you believe it to be."

Inhaling deeply in a rather failed attempt at holding back her tears, Odette nodded merely out of the desire to not argue with Elain.

"I believed him to be a good match, because we share so many traits. Mother certainly would have been overjoyed and would have said I will never find a better husband than a King. Yes, he will be a King... and I... what will I be, if I cannot even hold his heart enough to not make him seek to share his bed with other women? Am I doomed to be just a worthless puppet placed at his side, with the purpose of offering him a royal blooded heir?"

"Hush, child... say no more sorrowful words as these." the maid pleaded again.

Standing the girl now paced around the room, wringing her hands in anger.

"How can I be silent, beloved Elain? His father entrusted me with the torturous task of following him around and keeping him out of trouble, because he believes I will do a better job of it than the Sheriff. He knows not of what his son does even when I am there with him... and I hate myself for keeping his secrets and offering my loyalty to him, when he offers me nothing in return, save beautiful but empty words!"

It was as she shouted out that last statement that a knock came to the doors of her chambers. Unbeknownst to the two women, Hal had been standing in the hallway for the past minutes listening; he had arrived there to speak to Odette but had heard her complaints to Elain thus he had decided to first listen to her words. He knew she never told him the truth to his face regarding what she believed of him – at least not anymore, in the past few years – likely out of fear of angering his father. But he had always suspected that she was not as pleased with him as she appeared.

With Elain opening the door and bowing to him after staring at him in shock, he entered the room only to find that Odette had her back to him as she stood at the window.

"Leave us for a bit..." he said gently to Elain.

The lack of humor in his tone had the maid suspecting that he had overheard the girl, but ultimately she could not oppose a direct order from him. She could only hope he would not volley his wrath upon Odette. Once the door was closed behind him, the Prince now stopped a few steps away from her and took a moment to simply let his eyes enjoy the way her hair shined like black silk in the moonlight, making it appear as though she had a halo around her head, like the angels depicted in the church.

"Do not treat me so coldly, my Lady... do let me gaze upon your fair face." he finally said on a humorous tone, aiming to bait her into turning around for he was certain that he had heard her voice trembling as though she was crying.

"You needn't speak to me in such pretty words when we are alone, my Lord." she retorted. "There is no one here to impress..."

Narrowing his eyes when he caught the faint tremble in her otherwise icy tone, he still found himself smiling at her stubbornness... a trait which he found to be quite appealing, actually.

"Look at me, Odette..." he asked again.

"I have seen your face much more than I have sometimes wished to... I needn't see it again."

"Very well, then I will speak to you as you are..." he replied, seating himself onto her bed.

Though she would not notice it, for she was intently keeping her gaze onto the gardens outside, he had chosen such an angle that he could see part of her face and the wet trails of tears glistening upon her cheek; which only confirmed his suspicions... whilst at the same time leaving a terribly bitter taste in his mouth at the knowledge that he was the cause of her sorrow.

"Tell me... what think you of me?"

"This is coming to be quite an annoying habit, my Lord. I believe you already know my answer..."

"I wish to hear it again... you have such a sweet way of lying to me, after all."

His sarcasm finally made the girl realize that he had either heard her earlier or she had somehow given herself away over the years.

"I believe you are impetuous and stubborn and have good knowledge on how to use your words to suit your interests... which are fine qualities for a future King."

Smiling as she delivered the same answer almost mechanically, Hal inhaled deeply.

"But that is not what you truly believe... is it?"

"Of course it is, my Lord. Why would I believe any differently?"

Standing, he now approached her from behind and leaned over her shoulder to kiss away the freshest of her tears as it slid down her cheek.

"Angels were not made to be sad..." he whispered. "Yet you weep even whilst telling me beautiful lies."

When he attempted to wrap his arms around her, Odette finally tore herself away from him offering him a silent scowl mixed with a shade of sorrow that made him feel quite uncomfortable.

"I am curious when you became afraid of speaking your true mind to me. Have I ever reprimanded you for it? Have I not always embraced your opinion of me and sought to turn it around?" he pushed on.

At his last words he finally saw her mask of restraint crumbling as tears overflowed anew from her chocolate eyes.

"And yet you sleep with other women! And waste your hours still with those pathetic lowlifes, drinking and brawling!" she shouted, her shaky voice revealing how much she was still trying to hold back from crying.

"Then speak your true mind to me, woman!" he demanded. "As if what I heard just now would not be enough to tell me how you feel... and how much I have hurt you without even wishing for it."

Sighting her as she now stared at him unable to speak – given that his sudden outburst of royal demeanor had shocked her into silence, although he would not know that – he seized the moment and approached her, grasping her arms before she could recoil.

"Do you truly believe I did not suspect my father had put you up to this? I have known that the Sheriff was no longer following me, for years... it was clear as day that my father had found someone else to take up that task."

When she tried to glance away he released her arms and placed his hands onto her wet cheeks, forcing her to keep looking into his eyes.

"I suspected it was you... and that is why I kept doing all I did; to bait you into giving yourself away."

"Then I beseech you to speak to him and have him relieve me of this torture..." she whispered pleadingly.

"No... for I will make an oath to you right now and wish for you to see me keeping it."

When she opened her mouth to speak, the Prince leaned down and claimed her lips for a kiss. And though eight years had passed since he had first kissed her in the alley, his mind recalled and relished in that sweet taste he had been craving for so long.

"I will not yet give up my rowdy ways, save one..." he whispered whilst leaning back. "In God's name and on this kiss I swear, never again shall I touch another woman... unless it be you. There is a purpose to my wild demeanor, yet no true purpose behind my bedding wenches. So to you I vow that henceforth you will be the only woman I will crave and love. For you are my bride-to-be, and if I should ever break my oath and cast aside my loyalty to you, may God strike me with a thousand plagues and have me burn for all eternity."

Her reaction of grasping onto his leather coat was rather unexpected to Hal, but still he relished in what appeared to be her offer of forgiveness.

"Speak not like that, my Lord... I beg of you." she pleaded.

"Then say you love me as I love you, fair Odette... say you will not turn away my oath, nor my plea for forgiveness."

The following moments were spent in silence as the girl turned his words over; she wanted to believe him... she wanted that so much, it hurt. But could she? When her wordlessness stretched on, the Prince took it as a sign of her refusal and for a second he felt more desolate and alone than ever before in his life; it was such a terrible feeling that before he had even thought it through, he fell to his knees before her, his arms locking around her slender waist whilst he pressed his face against her stomach.

"O give me angry words and hit me if it pleases you... give me wrath and tears and screams... say you do not believe my words and say I am a wretched and vile man... but give me anything other than this torturous silence which chokes me like the cold hand of death itself!" he pleaded.

Still shocked by his reaction, Odette had been just about to speak when he turned his gaze to her and she was stunned to see tears in his eyes for never before had she seen him cry. With her voice dying in her throat it was all she could do to reach out with trembling hands and caress his smooth cheeks. Only when he closed his eyes to lean his cheek into her palm, freeing her of the spell his gaze always enforced unto her mind, did she finally find the words to speak.

"I believe you, my Lord..." she said, offering him as much of a smile as she could muster at the moment. "But in God's name I beg of you to not cry, nor kneel to me, for you are a King and I am but a woman."

Kissing her palm, Hal now leaned forward and buried his face against her stomach once again, all the while tightening his embrace on her waist as though he was afraid she would flee.

"If I am a King, then you are my Queen... and I am but your slave." he stated, sighing in relief.

Not really knowing how else to react, Odette soon found herself setting a hand onto his shoulder whilst the other now trailed through his auburn hair. To hear him speak as he had but moments before was when she truly could see the King in him, as though the rowdy Prince was but a mask. Allowing him those seconds of silence, she ultimately realized she was smiling whilst watching him. If she were to believe his words – and God was her witness that she did want to believe them – then the prospect of marrying him was not so grim anymore. But despite how beautifully he had declared his love for her no more than a minute past, he had said that he would not give up his ways; but that he would simply cease to seek other women's company in his bed.

"Will you truly not renounce these reckless profiteers who call themselves your friends, but who desire nothing more than your influence and your wealth?"

In truth she had not even realized that she had spoken such thoughts out loud until she heard her own voice. Feeling the warmth of his breath when he sighed heavily against her stomach, she watched him slowly rising to his feet.

"Come, sit with me..." he beckoned, taking her hands in his.

Having not expected such a serious expression from him, she followed and seated herself at his side onto the bed.

"It may not seem so, but I always was aware of their true hearts."

"Then why, my beloved Lord, do you keep their company? Why do you sully your royal blood, by having those around, and darken your father's years thus?"

"For herein will I imitate the sun, who does permit the base contagious clouds to smother up his beauty from the world. That, when he please again to be himself, being wanted he may be more wondered at by breaking through the foul and ugly mists of vapors that did seem to strangle him. If all the year were playing holidays, to sport would be as tedious as to work. Yet when they seldom come, they wished for come. So when this loose behavior I throw off and pay the debt I never promised, by how much better than my word I am, by so much shall I falsify men's hopes. And like bright metal on a sullen ground, my reformation, glittering over my fault, shall show more goodly and attract more eyes than that which had no foil to set it off."

Pausing for a bit he now reached to trail the back of his fingers over her cheek, desiring to ease her worries.

"I shall astound them all with such a thorough change and they will know that I am a true King, one who knows their true plights and has seen their true pains. And they will love me even more than they have loved my father. Till then I'll so offend, to make offence a skill, redeeming time when men think least I will."

"Is all this worth sacrificing your father's love?" she finally asked after some moments of silence, a deep sorrow darkening her features.

"Fear not of that, my fair flower... I intend to regain my father's trust and love." he smiled in return.

It actually surprised him when she grasped his hand in between both of hers, bringing it to her lips and kissing his fingers.

"I pray to God you know what you are doing."

It was more at her gesture, than her words, that Hal's expression now settled into a warm, loving smile. Returning the grasp on her hand he tugged her closer until he could wrap his arms around her and kiss her forehead.

"Do you truly believe my words?"

Looking up at him, Odette finally nodded lightly.

"I do, my Lord... but know that, should you deceive me and break your oath, I shall have no forgiveness for you."

"Yet you did not say that you love me, whilst I have said it even now."

Feeling his lips twitch into a smile when she frowned at him, he leaned down to claim her lips before she could offer him any angry retort. It was when he felt her relaxing in his embrace that he felt his restraint leaving him and before he had even thought of it, he found himself leaning forward until her back touched the bedding and his chest weighed down on hers. When his lips abandoned hers to move toward the cleavage that her dress exposed, and his hand wandered down to her thigh, Odette grasped his face in her hands to force him to look at her.

"My Lord... if you truly love me, then I would have you prove it."

"How? My sweet Odette, only say how and I would drain the sea and slay a thousand men for you."

"I would not have you do such terrible things, my Lord... I would have you wait."

When he narrowed his eyes in confusion, she finally felt a giggle slipping through her lips.

"I would have you wait until I allow you to bed me... and I would have you keep to your word that you will not touch another woman ever again. That is my demand, and if you keep to it, I shall forgive you all the pain you have caused me these eight years."

For a brief moment she could see the resignation on his expression before he finally smiled.

"I deserve that, my fair Lady... and so I shall conform to your demand as though it were a behest given from God."

Settling onto his side he grasped her arm when she tried to sit up.

"At the very least lay here with me for but a while... and let me hold you as I should have all this time."

Unable to resist his pleading gaze, Odette sighed lightly and finally settled back onto the bed allowing him to wrap his arms around her once again. For a few minutes they stayed like that in silence, with only the crickets' song to delight their ears.

"You truly are an angel..."

Startled by his words the girl raised her eyes to find him watching her with a gaze she knew not what to call, for it was overflowing with such warmth and kindness that she would never have believed possible to come from him.

"Do you remember when we first met?"

"How could I not?" she smiled lightly. "I almost cut you down; you frightened me so badly..."

"You said I was useless..." he retorted humorously. "And I will admit that I was at the time... and I was a fool as well. When father first demanded that I marry you, I wanted nothing to do with you."

"That feeling we shared at the time, my Lord."

His soft chuckle ultimately drew a genuine smile from her.

"Yet you never complained to my father of it..." he said.

"God is my witness that I wanted to do so. But your father saved me from a lifetime of sorrow and emptiness... I could not repay him with ingratitude."

"Is this Harold truly that terrible a man?"

"Perhaps he is not truly _so_ horrendous, as I have described him to your father. Perhaps I was simply acting as a spoiled child would and desired to cling to my freedom."

"I should like to meet this man someday."

"So that you may boast to him that you have gained what should have been his?"

At the sight of his prankster smile, she playfully swatted at his chest.

"You are incorrigible, my Lord..." she retorted whilst fighting back a smile of her own.

Leaning down to press a loving kiss to her lips, the Prince then grinned.

"I simply wish to show everyone that a mere noble is not fit for a woman such as yourself."

"I may have royal blood, but I am not royalty..."

"You are an angel... and only a King befits such a wondrous creature."

"Then should I marry your father, seeing as you are not King yet?"

Her words ultimately drew a laughter from him whilst he embraced her once again, kissing her cheek.

"Then my father would be the envy of all men throughout the kingdom... including me. Would you have the heart to make me despise my own father, for having what is rightfully mine?"

"_Rightfully_ yours? My Lord, I do believe you are mistaken..."

Before she could finish her reply Hal leaned back with a serious expression.

"So therefore be mine because you wish it... be mine out of pity... or out of spite. Whatever feeling you may conjure for it I will embrace, so long as you are mine and mine alone."

Watching him in silence for a moment Odette then smiled whilst again placing her hands to his cheeks.

"In that case, if my Lord allows it, I would be yours out of love. Is that not a better trade from pity or from spite?"

"At the very least it will make our marriage easier to bear."

It was whilst they were both laughing at that exchange of statements that Elain knocked on the door before entering, forcing them to leap out of each other's embrace as though they had been showered in fire.

"My Lord, your father sends for you." she said with a bow.

Running a hand through his hair to settle it down, the Prince now moved to his feet.

"Then I will see you in the morning, my Lady..." he stated to Odette.

Having stood as well the girl now rolled her eyes and reached out to straighten his coat.

"What for, my Lord?"

"Needn't you keep to your task?"

Smiling at her stern gaze, he pecked her lips and left the chambers before she could scold him, leaving her to the mercy of a very curious Elain.


	5. Jest

Again I have to apologize for not updating sooner, lovelies. With that _Avengers_ fic going on, it's kind of hard to keep switching back and forth between the Shakespeare mood and the Loki mood xD

But I am really grateful to all those who have been patient enough and I hope you all like how the story's evolving so far. So enjoy, lovelies~ ;)

P.S. I do not own any of the _Hollow Crown_ characters. I only own Odette and any other OC you might encounter along the way :)

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**Jest**

_"Then I will see you in the morning, my Lady..."_

_"What for, my Lord?"_

_"Needn't you keep to your task?"_

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Must we go see the saggy bag of flesh?"

Chuckling at the girl's protest, Hal turned his gaze from the bustling street to Odette, lightly tightening his grasp upon her hand.

"Those are not words befitting a Queen's fair lips."

"As if you would know anything of that, you hotheaded Prince."

Grinning at her failed attempt to fight back a smile, Hal then ultimately chose to offer a serious reply.

"Poins asked me to meet him here; says he has some important thing to share with me. It will do no harm to see Falstaff as well."

Opening the door to the Hog's Head he allowed her to enter the bustling tavern before stepping inside as well.

"Good morrow, m' Lady... m' Lord..."

Raising her gaze at the greeting, Odette smiled at the sight of Mistress Quickly. Offering a nod in return of her greeting, she then inwardly shuddered when the elder female leaned to kiss Hal's cheek. Still, she actually liked the woman... at least much more than she liked that blonde wench she had caught in Hal's bed a few times. Sure, the tavern keeper was not the most educated person, as most common folk, but she was an honest woman and possessed a sort of innate wisdom which had, no doubt, come with the passage of years.

Leaving the woman to her things she now followed Hal upstairs where she could already hear Falstaff's loud snores coming through the door of one of the bedrooms.

"Lazy old crow..." Hal muttered amusedly.

Upon entering, Odette found it impossible to hold back a smile at the sight of the fat elderly man sleeping sprawled out onto the bed. What did clench her jaw, however, was seeing the wench sleeping at his side, her skirt lifted to expose her legs and half of her rump.

"I will wait in the hallway..."

Grasping her arm, Hal instead pulled her against him.

"Dearest, did I not vow myself to you?"

Fixing her with a serious gaze until she yielded, he then once more smiled and turned his gaze to Falstaff whilst reaching down to pinch his foot until the old man finally awoke.

"Now Hal..." he muttered sleepily.

Sighting Odette, he finally seemed to snap out of that slumbering state.

"What time of day is it, lad?"

"What a devil have you to do with the time of the day?" the girl retorted humorously.

Glancing to her Hal chuckled and crossed his arms whilst leaning against a wooden pole of the bed.

"Indeed... unless hours were cups of sack, and minutes capons, and clocks the tongues of bawds, and dials the signs of leaping-houses, and the blessed sun himself a fair hot wench in flame colored taffeta, I see no reason why you should be so superfluous as to demand the time of the day."

Heaving himself out of bed after smacking the wench's rump, Falstaff now spoke again asking Hal if he would be hanged once the Prince became King.

"Shall there be gallows in England when you are King? Do you not, when you are King, hang a thief?"

"Er, no... you shall..."

Smiling at the young male's reply Odette crossed her arms and rolled her eyes at his antics.

"O shall I? O Lord... I'll be a brave judge..." Falstaff replied.

"Well you judge false already. I mean you shall have the hanging of the thieves and so become a rare hangman..."

Biting her lower lip to hold in her laughter when Falstaff began to butter up to Hal, the girl now leaned against the wall whilst the old man sat upon a chair, struggling to get his boots on.

"You have done much harm upon me, Hal, God forgive you for it. Before I knew you, Hal, I knew nothing... and now I am, if a man should speak truly, little better than the wicked."

Chuckling at his words, the Prince merely watched him in silence, letting him ramble on before he leaned forward with an expression that Odette knew too well to be a fake one, despite the lack of humor.

"Where shall we take a purse tomorrow, Jack?"

Arching a brow at the elder man's prolonged silence Odette finally shook her head when Falstaff replied.

" 'Zounds, where you will, lad. And I'll make one."

"I see a good amendment of life in you... from praying to purse-taking." Hal laughed.

Whilst Falstaff rambled on about how it was his vocation, Poins finally stepped into the room.

"Good morrow!" he said cheerfully, shaking Hal's hand before bowing to Odette. "Good morrow, my fair Lady."

Walking then to where Falstaff was seated he leaned against the table.

"Tomorrow morning, by four o'clock, there are pilgrims going to Canterbury with rich offerings... and traders riding to London. If you will go, I will stuff your purses full of crowns. If you will not, tarry at home and be hanged."

"If I tarry at home and go not, I'll hang you for going." Falstaff replied. "Hal, will you make one?"

"Who, I a rob? I a thief? Not I, by my faith..." the Prince replied whilst heading to the door and stepping out into the hallway.

"There's neither honesty, manhood, nor good fellowship in you, nor do you come of royal blood if you dare not stand for ten shillings."

"Well then, once in my days I'll be a madcap..." Hal retorted in jest.

"Why, that's well said."

"Well, come what will, I'll tarry at home."

"By the Lord I'll be a traitor then, when you are King."

"I care not..." the Prince chuckled.

"I will lay him down such reasons that he shall go..." Poins stated.

Lightly narrowing her eyes at his words, Odette then glanced to Hal who had about the same suspicious expression, apparently hinting that there was more to that robbery than Poins had initially said. Taking his hand when he extended it to her, she followed the Prince out of the room whilst Poins joined them in the hallway.

"Now, my good, sweet, honey Lord... ride with us tomorrow. And by all means, bring your Lady as well, she makes a fine warrior. I've a jest to execute that I cannot manage alone. Falstaff, Bardolph, Peto shall rob these men, yourselves and I will not be there. When they have the booty, if you and I do not rob them, cut this head off from my shoulders."

"But it is likely they will know us by our habits and by every other appointment to be ourselves." Hal replied.

"I have buckram cloaks to mask our noted outward garments."

"Yes but they will be too hard for us."

"Well, for two of them, I know them to be as true-bred cowards as ever turned back. And for the third, if he fights longer than he sees reason, I'll forswear arms. The virtue of this jest will be the incomprehensible lies this same fat rogue will tell us when we meet at supper."

Chuckling Hal gave it a thought over before leaning to Poins.

"Provide us all things necessary, and meet us here tomorrow night. Farewell."

"Farewell, my Lord, my Lady."

As she silently followed Hal downstairs and out of the tavern, Odette now finally saw an expression on his face that she had not before beheld. Had someone asked, she would have said it was a mixture of sorrow, determination and steeled resignation. Upon noticing the concerned gaze in her eyes as she watched him the Prince merely smiled, and his face lit up discarding all the darkened veils as the sun discarded fleeting clouds, whilst his arm rested around her shoulders and his lips pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

oOoOo

"Come, shelter, shelter..."

With that hushed statement Poins ducked behind a tree whilst Hal and Odette soon followed, hooded and cloaked just like their friend. The dawn was barely breaking through the cover of night, and the forest was veiled in mist. On the road below their hiding point, Falstaff was standing alone whilst his two accomplices were up ahead to watch for the pilgrims. Watching the fat old man calling out Poins' name and cursing at him, even Odette gave in to the humor of the scene and chuckled along with the Prince and their young friend.

"I have removed his horse and he frets like a gummed velvet." Poins explained.

They were still chuckling whilst Falstaff kept swearing at them and his two partners, when the two he was just speaking of came running along the road.

"There's money of the King's coming down the road." Bardolph said.

"Here they come..." Odette muttered, upon sighting the two horses coming along after Falstaff and the other two had hidden on the side. "You would do well to repay their stolen money after this prank, my Lord."

Setting an arm around her and pulling her closer, Hal now grinned.

"I am an honest Prince, my love."

"I doubt you know the meaning of the word." she retorted in jest, making Poins chuckle.

A flash of his grin was the last thing she saw before he claimed her lips for a brief kiss.

"I could not possibly imagine a better woman."

Rolling her eyes, Odette lightly punched him in the stomach.

"Now settle down, you rascals, else you'll give us away."

Going silent the three now watched as the pilgrims dismounted with the desire to walk for a bit, and then Falstaff and his men attacking them and frightening them off before taking the money bags. Whilst Falstaff was now rambling on about how Hal and Poins were cowards, the two young men along with Odette rushed out from their hiding spot with the swords unsheathed, shouting like mad. In an instant Bardolph and Peto dropped the money and took to running through the forest whilst Falstaff followed them as fast as his fat belly allowed him to, whilst begging for mercy.

"Got with much ease..." Poins stated through laughter.

"Were it not for laughing, I should pity him." Hal said when Falstaff tripped and fell onto his back.

However, the sight of the old man struggling to stand and keep fleeing in his terror made the trio burst into laughter again. Allowing them their fun, Odette then clapped them on the back after having returned her sword to its ebony sheath.

"Come, let us away from here, my brave horses... you are carrying this." she stated, pointing to the dropped bags of money.

With that she turned away from them, heading to where they had tied their stallions.

"I fear for England with you on the throne and she in your bed." Poins grinned.

"Best do as she says..." Hal laughed whilst picking up two of the four bags. "In all Hell there is not one fury as terrifying as my fair angel, should you scorn her."

Arching a brow before he burst into laughter, Poins now hefted the other two bags and followed after Hal. The rest of the evening after they had hidden the money was spent at the tavern. It was while Odette was speaking with Mistress Quickly that Hal suddenly grabbed her from behind.

"Do not treat me so coldly, my fair Lady... am I not at all worthy of your attention?"

Turning to him the girl now stared at the sight before her.

"Where have you been? You're dripping wet... and you stink of sack." she retorted, wrinkling her nose.

When he tightened his embrace on her and buried his face against the nape of her neck, she smacked him across the chest.

"Get off me!" she demanded even whilst fighting back a laugh as his breath tickled her skin. "You'll soil my clothes..."

"Good... then perhaps you'll take them off and warm my bed tonight." he chuckled, playfully biting her ear.

"Not tonight, my Lord... find some other way to keep yourself entertained."

"Then should I take one of these wenches upstairs, fair Odette?"

Sighting the heaviness of her scowl, he grinned and wrapped an arm around her neck to hold her in place, before leaning in and forcefully kissing her even as she struggled in his grasp, hitting him in the ribs with her hands. Her resistance soon crumbled, however, and instead she ended up wrapping her arms around his waist whilst he devoured her lips with such hunger as though he had been starved for a year. And she had to admit it, the scent and taste of wine was getting to her head, clouding her mind and urging her to return the same passion in their kiss.

"Your lips are sweeter, my fair angel, than any wine this rundown tavern sells." he grinned, once he had finally allowed her some respite. "And unlike the wine, you make me drunk with just one taste, and make me crave more and more and more with each experience I savor. And I desire no other taste than yours, my love... for none of these wenches, as willing as they may be to warm my bed, can sate the scorching lust you set ablaze in me."

His words finally earned him the reaction he had hoped for when Odette gave in to her urge to smile. Seizing the moment he once again kissed her, then again and again and again whilst he spoke.

"I will... hold to my oath... as long as... you would have me... do it..."

Leaning his forehead onto hers after the last kiss, he once more grinned.

"But I do promise you this... when you do give me leave to bed you, I will have you endure the full weight of the desire and lust you let build up inside me."

"The wine is getting to your head already." she retorted before leaning up to peck his lips.

"No, it is _you_ that is getting to my head, beloved Odette." he laughed. "Now come, sit with me I pray you. Is it not enough that you starve me of your body... must you starve me of your affection as well?"

Rolling her eyes at his antics again, Odette now grasped the edges of his coat.

"Take this off and let your shirt dry, lest you wish to be bedridden tomorrow."

"I am yours to do with as you please, my Lady. If you wish to undress me, then, by God, do so."

"You are incorrigible, you hotheaded Prince..."

Despite her protest which made him chuckle, she did now push the coat off his shoulders and down his arms. Once he was rid of it he stepped back and shook his head violently to rid himself of any wine drops in his hair. It wasn't until around midnight that Falstaff and his men finally arrived, telling tales of hundreds of men that they had fought. Whilst Odette stood to the side listening in amusement, Hal and Poins kept urging them on until finally Hal revealed the true story causing the whole tavern to laugh at the fat male and his companions.

Their fun was shortly interrupted when a messenger from the King arrived, bringing news of the capture of a nobleman by a Welsh rebel and the apparent riot of Northumberland's son. Soon after the messenger's departure, however, they were watching Falstaff acting as the King whilst Hal stood before him to "answer" for his rowdiness. With the two switching roles, Odette found it quite uncanny to see how perfectly Hal could imitate not only his father's demeanor but also his voice. It was during one of Falstaff's replies that Mistress Quickly tugged on the girl's sleeve.

"My Lady, hear me... the Sheriff with a most monstrous watch is at the door!"

With Hal leaping off the table where he had been sitting, all the tavern guests now rushed upstairs to hide whilst the mistress went back to the door.

"My Lord, they are come to search the house!" she exclaimed upon returning.

"I will not hang, nor will I see you hang for that fat, worthless pile of sack." Odette frowned toward the Prince.

"Peace, my Lady... I beg you." he replied whilst putting on his coat.

Turning to Falstaff he pushed the old man toward the staircase.

"Hide yourself! Now for a true face and a good conscience!" he demanded.

When Falstaff started blabbing, Hal pushed him under the stairs whilst Poins concealed himself behind one of the thick wooden polls supporting the ceiling. Sighting the wench Hal grabbed her arm and shoved her onto the stairs.

"What do you stand around for, like a daft woman? Go hide yourself!" he ordered.

With the blonde female scrambling up the wooden steps Hal now threw himself onto the nearest chair and reached out for Odette's hand.

"Sit..."

Glancing from the door to him with a puzzled gaze, the girl finally understood his goal when he motioned to his lap.

"I will do no such thing in public..."

"Sit!" he growled, forcefully pulling her toward him.

In the face of that imposing demeanor he sometimes used whenever he truly wanted something, Odette felt compelled to obey. Casting a quick glance to Mistress Quickly who was waiting for one of them to let her open the door, she now spread her legs and settled onto his lap. His hand suddenly grasping her rump startled her, but before she could dwell too long on that he nodded to the tavern mistress before shoving the other hand in Odette's hair and enforcing a hungry kiss upon her.

It was like that that the Sheriff found them upon entering and for a moment he could not even breathe at the sight. Hearing the sound of his boots coming to a halt nearby, Odette opened her eyes and shot him a glance whilst Hal intentionally ignored him, acting as though he was much too caught in the moment and only leaning away when she pushed against his chest. If not for the danger looming over both their heads, she was sure they would both have likely burst out laughing at the expression on the elder male's face.

"Now, master Sheriff, what is your will with me?" Hal asked after clearing his throat.

"First pardon me, my Lord, my Lady." he managed to spit out whilst still recovering from the shock. "A hue and cry has followed certain men unto this house."

"What men?"

As he posed that question, the young Prince tensed his arm as he felt Odette trying to move away, firmly holding her in place.

"One of them is well known, my Lord... a gross, fat man. As fat as butter..."

Pretending to think for a moment, Hal then finally replied.

"Ah! The man, I do assure you, is not here. For I myself, at this time, have employed him. And Sheriff I will engage my word to you that I will, by tomorrow dinner-time, send him to answer you or any man for anything he shall be charged withal. And so, let me entreat you..."

Looking to Odette as he stated the last words, he intertwined his fingers with her and exhaled an amused huff at her stern gaze.

"Leave the house." he now ordered, once again looking to the Sheriff.

"I will, my Lord..." the male spat out through clenched teeth before adding on, merely out of spite. "These are two gentlemen have in this robbery lost 300 marks."

Faking an astounded expression Hal finally allowed Odette to stand before he rose himself from the chair.

"It may be so. If he has robbed these men, he shall be answerable. And so farewell..."

Mustering a forced smile beneath his mustache, the Sheriff now nodded.

"Good night, my noble Lord... my fair Lady."

"I think it is good morrow, is it not?" Hal retorted.

"Indeed, my Lord. I think it be two o'clock."

Once the Sheriff and his group had left the house, Hal finally released a relieved breath that he had been holding for some time whilst Poins stepped out from his hiding place and the wench descended the stairs cautiously.

"Your father will have me chastised when the Sheriff speaks to him of this impropriety." Odette sighed, dropping onto a nearby chair.

Ignoring the snores now resounding from beneath the stairs, the Prince approached her and leaned down to kiss her forehead.

"Chastised or not, I shall still love you." he replied humorously, trying to lighten her mood.

Rolling his eyes at the continuous snores of the old male, he sighed and stepped to the staircase, glancing down at Falstaff.

"Hark how hard he fetches breath." he said to Poins, making the young man chuckle. "Search his pockets..."

Upon finding nothing of value on him except a ring and some papers, the Prince now turned his gaze to Odette.

"Keep those, we'll read them at a better time." he said to Poins. "I'll to the court... we all must to the wars. So good morrow, Ned..."

With the girl standing he grasped her hand and walked out of the tavern.

"Good morrow, good my Lord... my fair Lady..." Poins called out in their wake.


	6. Remould

Sooooo Loki finally seems to have allowed my brain to be in both moods at the same time... and I have a little surprise for you, my lovelies ;)

I'll be uploading **TWO** chapters today. Aren't you glad? :D

So enjoy, darlings, and do toss me a review if you would~ ;)

P.S. I do not own any of the _Hollow Crown_ characters. I only own Odette and any other OC you might encounter along the way :)

* * *

**Remould**

_"Keep those, we'll read them at a better time. I'll to the court... we all must to the wars. So good morrow, Ned..."_

_"Good morrow, good my Lord... my fair Lady..."_

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Early in the morning the Prince was to be found walking along the hallway leading to the throne room, when he was deterred by Elain who latched onto his arm.

"My Lord! I beg of you, my Lord, to tell me what is happened."

"Dear Elain, what are you speaking of?"

"My Lady, my Lord... your father summoned her not past an hour. She looked terribly pale and left the chambers shaking, when the servant came for her."

"In God's name... could he not wait and speak to me before?" Hal spat out angrily.

Tearing himself from the old maid's grasp he rushed along the corridor and dashed into the throne room where Odette was standing before Henry, John and the younger twins standing to the side and a group of noblemen gathered near the entrance. Upon sighting him, the King beckoned him to approach.

"Lords, give us leave." he now said. "The Prince of Wales and I must have some private conference. You, Lady, stay... and you."

Pointing to Odette and then to his other three sons, he fell silent. With Hal coming to a halt before the throne, he glanced to the girl as she stepped aside, clenching his jaw at the sight of her tearstained face. His focus was soon drawn back to his father as the King stepped down from the throne.

"I know not whether God will have it so for some displeasing service I have done, that in his secret doom, out of my blood he'll breed revengement and a scourge for me to punish my mistreadings. Tell me else, could such inordinate and low desires, such poor, such bare, such lewd attempts, such barren pleasures, rude society as you are matched withal and grafted to accompany the greatness of your blood and hold their level with your princely heart?"

"So please, Your Majesty..." Hal began.

"Your place in council you have rudely lost, which by your younger brother is supplied." Henry stated motioning toward John. "And you are almost an alien to the hearts of all the court and princes of my blood. Fair Odette is closer to your brothers' hearts, than you... who share in their blood."

Briefly glancing to his brothers then to Odette whose teary gaze was firmly fixed upon the floor, Hal again felt his jaw clenching.

"The hope of your time is ruined..." Henry now continued. "And the soul of every man prophetically does forethink your fall. Had I so lavish of my presence been, so stale and cheap to vulgar company, opinion... that did help me to the crown, had left me in reputeless banishment, a fellow of no mark nor likelihood. By being seldom seen I could not stir, but like a comet I was wondered at, that men would tell their children, _This is he!_"

When Hal placed his hands onto his hips and sighed, having already heard that speech a dozen times before, Henry reached out and slapped his hands away to straighten his posture once again.

"And then I stole all courtesy from heaven!" he growled through clenched teeth, smacking his son across the chest and taking off his hat to throw it on the floor. "Dressed myself in such humility, that I did pluck allegiance from men's hearts, loud shouts and salutations from their mouths."

Pausing for a moment to pace before his son, he then continued.

"The skipping king, he ambled up and down with shallow jesters and rash bavin wits, mingled his royalty with capering fools, enfeifed himself to popularity. So when he had occasion to be seen, he was but as the cuckoo is in June. Heard... not regarded. And in that very line, Harry, you stand. For you have lost your princely privilege with vile communication. Not an eye but is a-weary of your common sight, save mine, which has desired to see you more."

It was at the sound of his voice breaking down as though he was about to cry, that Odette finally raised her sorrowful gaze.

"I shall, hereafter, my thrice gracious Lord..." Hal stated hesitantly. "Be more myself..."

His smile was violently wiped off, however, when Henry slapped him forcing him to turn his head aside.

"For all the world as you are to this hour was Richard then, when I from France set foot at Ravenspurgh, and even as I was then is Percy now. He has more worthy interest to the state than you, the shadow of succession. For of no right, nor color like to right, he does fill fields with harness in the realm. And being no more in debt to years than you, leads ancient Lords and reverend bishops on to bloody battles and to bruising arms. Thrice has this Hotspur, Mars in swaddling clothes, this infant warrior in his enterprises discomfited great Douglas, detained him once, enlarged him, made a friend of him, to fill the mouth of deep defiance up and shake the peace and safety of our crown."

Pausing again, he cast a glance to Odette and the girl was startled when he pointed to her.

"You are not worthy of such a woman, as you are not worthy of the throne. For I have, under pain of death, forced from her mouth all that which you had her lock away. I blame it not on her, for she did it out of love... I blame it unto you, who so wantonly made use of the heart she gave you, to twist her to your vile ways. If I did not order her sent away, it is for her sake and not yours... and for my dying hope that she may yet regain some grasp on you."

Whilst the King again fell silent and began pacing around, Hal seized the moment to turn his eyes to Odette whose tears seemed utterly unable to hold back from overflowing.

"But wherefore do I tell these news to you?" Henry finally stated with a heavy sigh. "Why, Harry, do I tell you of my foes... which are my nearest and dearest enemy?"

When he turned to walk back to the throne, Hal finally seemed to regain his voice and moved to follow whilst Odette herself set her widened eyes upon the King.

"Do not think so!" he shouted. "You shall not find it so! I will redeem all this on Percy's head and, in the closing of some glorious day, be bold to tell you that I am your son. And that shall be the day, whenever it lights, that this same child of honor and renown, this gallant Hotspur, this all-praised knight, and your unthought-of Harry chance to meet. Then will I make this northern youth exchange his glorious deeds for my indignities."

Stepping back he glanced upwards and crossed himself.

"This, in the name of God, I promise here. And I will die a hundred thousand deaths if I should break the smallest parcel of this vow."

Looking from the Prince to his father, Odette found herself praying that the King would turn his heart back to his son. His valiant speech still gave her hope that he would be a good heir yet. Henry himself now hesitated before finally speaking out.

"A hundred thousand rebels die in this."

Standing and once more descending the steps from his throne, he approached Hal.

"You shall have charge and sovereign trust herein." he finally said.

When he again turned to the throne, Hal finally beckoned Odette to him set on not leaving that hall without her. With Henry sighting his gesture as he seated himself onto the throne, he merely nodded to the girl and found that he could not hold back a shade of smile when she tore herself from that spot and ran into the Prince's arms. With all said and done, he could think of no greater satisfaction than seeing his son happy with the woman he loved.

"Away with you both..." Henry finally said gently, motioning them away with his hands.

Only upon arriving to her chambers did Hal finally give in to the urge of letting off a relieved breath, whilst he held Odette in his arms.

"I pray to you, my Lord, to tell me what has happened." Elain pleaded. "My Lady's cheek is pale as though death itself had left his breath upon her."

"All is settled, dear Elain..." he replied. "You needn't worry any longer. Do leave us for a moment, will you?"

Bowing to him the maid now left the chambers; before she had even fully closed the door the prince leaned down to claim his lover's lips in a warm, loving but needy kiss.

"Under pain of death?" he breathed out upon leaning away to sight her face.

His painful expression had her place her hands to his cheeks whilst she mustered as much of a smile as she could.

"Had the threat been for my own life, I would not have revealed all I knew. The pain of death was for you... and though I knew he would not do it, for you are his son and heir and he loves you, I still feared what madness could overtake him in his rage, driving him to heed his own warning."

Heaving a sigh the Prince stepped away from her allowing himself to drop onto her bed. This time she followed him of her own accord, wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

"I would have postponed this, but I see now that I cannot have it..."

Looking up into her eyes after that statement, he set his arms about her waist.

"I will give up my rowdy ways, and be the Prince and King you hoped for with such unflinching loyalty. And you shall be my wife and Queen for I will have no other. And I shall prove a worthy son and heir and husband. All this I swear to you here and now, and may God erase me from the book of life if I should break my word!"

Unable to fight back a smile, Odette wrapped her arms around his head and brought him to rest against her chest.

"You will be a good King, my Lord..." she whispered in his hair, having kissed the top of his head.

When he leaned back to look up at her again, his gaze betraying that he had not expected such words from her, she clasped his face in her hands and pressed a kiss to his lips.

"You have such greatness in you... you hide it well that others cannot see it. But I have... sometimes you let it slip past its cage lock and I have seen it. Make use of it, my Lord; be the King your father hopes for you to be. Be such a King that even my uncle, Charles, may respect you and stand in awe at the shining glory of your rule."

Her words did finally bring a smile unto his lips before he buried his face in her breasts and heaved a content sigh.

"There are no words, my fair Odette, to say how I thank God for sending you to me... and how I thank my father for his decision to make you my wife."

Setting her cheek onto his head the girl now smiled whilst her fingers combed his hair.

"Alas, today I need go back into that deep, all-eating hole, rife with the unholy stench of vanity."

"Must you, my Lord?"

"I am to war, for I will not forsake my father... I need Falstaff to make use of himself – for once – and of my purse as always and bring us more soldiers."

Leaning back whilst deeply inhaling the scent of flowers lingering upon her from her earlier bath, he smiled lightly.

"I also must return what I have taken from his pockets... for I know now I will have use of them no more."

"Then I go with you, my Lord..."

"Fair Odette..." he sighed contently once more. "How I wish that your mother and mine were here, to see what of their children has become. To see us of one mind, one heart and soon one rule..."

"My Lord, what words be these?" she blinked at his last statement.

"Fret not..." he chuckled. "For I have no desire to overthrow our country's ancient laws. But though in the eyes of many you shall be regarded as my shadow, I vow to you that I shall hold you as my equal for you have matched me both in joy and sorrow."

oOoOo

Upon entering the Hog's Head with Hal later that day, Odette was actually startled when Mistress Quickly latched onto the Prince's arm even whilst Falstaff was speaking to him.

"My Lord, I pray you, hear me!" the elderly woman pleaded.

"What say you, Mistress Quickly?" he asked.

"Good my Lord, hear me."

"Let her alone and listen to me..." Falstaff stated grasping Hal's arm and dragging him to the staircase.

"What say you, Jack?" the Prince again asked, clearly confused as to what was all that madness in the tavern.

"The other night I fell asleep here and had my pocket picked."

"What did you lose, Jack?"

"Will you believe me, Hal? Three or four bonds of forty pounds a piece, and a seal-ring of my grandfather's."

"A trifle, some eight-penny matter..." Hal retorted.

Again grasping his arm, Mistress Quickly now caught his attention.

"So I told him, my Lord, and I said I heard your grace say so and, my Lord he speaks most vilely of you, like a foul-mouthed man as he is and said he would cudgel you."

"What? He did not!" Hal replied humorously whilst Odette let loose a chuckle.

"There's neither faith, truth, nor womanhood in me else."

With the matter resolved within the following few minutes as Hal returned Falstaff's worthless possessions, he then sent both the elder man as well as his two accomplices to bear letters to his brother John and to the Earl of Westmoreland.

"Come, Poins, to horse. To horse! For you have 30 miles to ride yet with me and my fair Lady, before supper time."

With the young man standing and following them toward the door, Hal only stopped to say a few last words to Falstaff.

"Jack? Meet me tomorrow in the temple hall at two o'clock in the afternoon. The land is burning. Percy stands on high and either we or they must lower lie."

oOoOo

"That insufferable mountain of sack..."

Turning to her at her growl, Hal followed Odette's gaze until he sighted what seemed to be Falstaff leading a row of death convicts along the road toward King Henry's battle camp.

"I'll gut him with my own hands, so help me God!"

"My Lady..."

With his statement cut short as she urged her stallion into a gallop, Hal had no other choice but to follow her along with the Lord of Westmoreland who had been riding with them.

"Peace, my fair Lady." he called out as the horses caught up to hers. "Gut him not, for the heat of battle will see to that."

"O Hal..." Falstaff said almost breathlessly upon seeing them. "My good Lord of Westmoreland, I cry you mercy. I thought your honor had already been at Shrewsbury."

"Faith, Sir John, it is more than time that I were there and you, too. My powers are there already, with the Duke of Willoughby. The King, I can tell you, looks for us all. We must away all night."

"Tut, never fear me, I'm as vigilant as a cat to steal cream."

"I think to steal cream indeed... for your theft already made you butter." Odette replied, wrinkling her nose down at the elder man.

Her words drew a short chuckle from Hal who now turned in the saddle to glance at the men following Falstaff.

"Tell me, Jack..." he said. "Whose fellows are these that come after?"

"Mine, Hal, mine." the old man lied candidly.

"I did never see such pitiful rascals."

"Food for powder, food for powder... they'll fill a pit as well as better. Tush, man, mortal men, mortal men."

"Aye, but Sir John, methinks they look exceeding poor and bare, they're too beggarly." the elder Lord replied.

"Faith, for their poverty I know not where they had that. For their bareness, I'm sure they never learned that of me."

"Sirrah, make haste." Hal demanded, interrupting Falstaff's rant. "Percy is already in the field."

Looking to Odette and nodding briefly he then urged his stallion into gallop once again toward the hill that separated them from the camp at Shrewsbury. Casting one last icy glance to the fat knight, the girl then silently followed suite along with the Lord of Westmoreland, her chainmail shirt clinking against the sheath of her sword.

It had been after many hours of pleading with the King that she had been allowed the joy of not being parted from Hal. Even with the promise she had to make to stay at the tents during the actual battle, she found an odd sense of joy in being there. Her arm she trusted and her eye, and knew that she would not shame her family name in combat. But to ease the King's mind, and her dearest Hal's as well, she had agreed to stay behind and wait him to return with any wounds he'd likely bear, into her arms, with victory upon his brow.


	7. Reconciliation

So as promised, lovelies, here's the next chapter.

Enjoy and toss me a bit of love too, would you~? :3

P.S. I do not own any of the _Hollow Crown_ characters. I only own Odette and any other OC you might encounter along the way :)

* * *

**Reconciliation**

_[...] to ease the King's mind, and her dearest Hal's as well, she had agreed to stay behind and wait him to return with any wounds he'd likely bear, into her arms, with victory upon his brow._

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Can you not sleep, my Lord?"

Averting his azure gaze from the top of the tent to Odette, as she laid at his side, the Prince did finally smile at the sight of her concerned expression. Turning to her, he pecked her lips and brushed the back of his fingers over her cheek.

"Fret not over me, my fair Lady. You let the sweetness of the night's embrace come upon your brow... and dream of me, as you always have, for your dreams are my source of strength. So dream, my beloved angel, dream of me victorious come morrow and in doing so I know that I shall win."

"Then let me dream awake, my Lord, I pray you..." she pleaded. "For I will find no rest with you, unless I see you locked in slumber's tender spell."

Smiling with an amused huff, the Prince wrapped his arms around her and lovingly kissed her forehead.

"My love, if you should fret like this for me, I may have to forswear all warfare."

"I would not have you do such, for a King is bound to keep his people safe whether by the word or the steel edge of his blade. But I would have you know that I fret... so thereby in knowing it, you would survive whatever battle come your way; and thereby in knowing it, you would return to me and ease my torment."

Pressing a loving kiss to her lips, the Prince did now settle his forehead against hers and closed his eyes with a content sigh.

"Sleep, my love... and I shall try to do the same; you have my word." he whispered.

oOoOo

Dawn found Odette standing in the snowy field next to Hal and the King himself; and though she was fully dressed for battle she knew she had to stay behind. At least she could see the entire battlefield from that hill and would be there to watch the fight unfold.

"How bloodily the sun begins to peer above the busky hill." Henry said whilst one of the knights was helping him put on his armor. "The day looks pale at his distemperature."

"The southern wind does play the trumpet to his purposes... foretells a tempest and a blustering day." Hal replied.

"Then with the losers let it sympathize..." Odette stated, watching as four men broke off from Percy's army and rode across the field.

"True words, my Lady..." Henry agreed with a smile. "For nothing can seem foul to those that win..."

Once the riders approached and dismounted, the King now turned his attention to them.

"How now, my Lord of Worcester? It is not well that you and I should meet upon the terms that now we meet. You have deceived our trust and made us doff our easy robes of peace, to crush our old limbs in ungentle steel. This is not well, my Lord."

"My liege, I do protest." the elder Earl replied. "I have not sought the day of this dislike."

"You have not sought it? How comes it then?"

"Rebellion lay in his way and he found it..." Falstaff chimed in.

"Be silent!" Odette ordered, hoping the old fool's words would not crush any attempts at a peaceful ending to the conflict.

"Peace, chewet, peace!" Hal scolded him as well.

"I must remember you, my Lord... we were the first and dearest of your friends." Worcester now stated, apparently ignoring Falstaff. "It was myself, my brother and his son that brought you home and boldly did outdare the dangers of the time. But in short space such a flood of sudden greatness fell on you, you took occasion to be quickly wooed, forget your oath to us at Doncaster, and being fed by us you used us so as that ungentle hull, the cuckoo's bird, used the sparrow."

Widening her eyes when Henry lunged out to apparently hit the Earl, Odette rushed forth with Hal to grasp the King's arms and hold him back. Whilst Henry stepped to the side and bent forward when his stomach spilled out its contents, Odette rushed to his side and Hal turned to face the Earl himself.

"Tell your nephew the Prince of Wales does join with all the world in praise of Henry Percy. I do not think a braver gentleman, more daring or more bold, is now alive. For my part, I may speak it to my shame, I have a truant been to chivalry. Yet this, before my father's majesty, I will, to save the blood on either side, try fortune with him in single fight."

"I am well..."

With that whisper to the girl, the King now stepped to his son's side.

"We love our people well..." he said. "Even those we love, that are misled upon your cousin's part. But will they take the offer of our grace? Both he and they and you, yes every man will be my friend again and I'll be his. We offer fair, take it advisedly."

Whilst the Earl and his companions walked back to their horses so as to return to their own men, Hal looked to his father.

"It will not be accepted, on my life."

"Well, God befriend us, as our cause is just!" Henry replied whilst turning to face his army.

At his words the men erupted into cheers whilst Odette now reached for Hal's arm to take him aside.

"I fear your father is sick... it is not the first day I have seen him like this." she whispered.

"Then I shall worry over this after the battle." the Prince replied, leaning to kiss her forehead.

"Take care..."

Nodding, he then glanced over his shoulder upon hearing footsteps, to see his father approaching them.

"My liege, I pray that God be with you on this day." she said, offering a slight bow.

"Fair Odette... I pray you, stay inside whilst we do battle. For you are too kind and loving to witness the horrors of war." Henry smiled, taking her hands.

"Shall I stay indoors whilst my father – both he who made me and he who rules over me – ride out with my husband and challenge death upon the field? No, my sovereign liege, I would see all that befalls this grim day and I would see your enemies cut down."

Setting his hands onto the sides of her head, the King now did place a kiss upon her hair.

"You make me proud to say you are my daughter."

With those words he now stepped away toward his horse whilst Hal finally embraced the young woman.

"Be valiant, that God may love you and give you victory." she whispered.

"I _will_ be victorious... and I _will_ return to you." the Prince promised.

Upon leaning back he felt her jolt in his arms and once more glanced behind to see her own father approaching, and found that he had mixed feelings regarding the man. Sure, he was her father, but he had not spoken a word to her all those years since she had arrived in London. Still, he silently stepped aside only to be deterred in his attempt when Odette refused to release his arm.

"Stay, my Lord..." she said. "Are you not his son?"

Bowing his head to her in silent acceptance, he again set sapphire eyes upon the Duke who bowed before him.

"Your Royal Highness, may I request a moment with my daughter?"

"You may and you shall have it, Sir William." the Prince replied. "Alas, my Lady has requested that I stay."

When the Duke straightened his posture and looked to her, Odette merely tightened her hold on Hal's hand.

"I will not send him away, father. For whether you agree to our marriage or not, he is now your son."

"Yes, you would believe I do not agree..." the male replied. "But I would dare defy you and say that you are wrong to judge so."

Stepping closer he somewhat hesitantly reached out to trail his gloved fingers along her cheek. It was then that a warm but bitter smile came to his lips.

"Your mother did leave you her beauty in no small measure... as she left you her stubborn heart and her strong will."

Reaching into the pouch set at his waist, he then retrieved a golden ring adorned with a heart-shaped diamond and offered it to her.

"This was my gift to your mother, upon our wedding day. I know she would have wanted you to wear it on yours."

Glancing to the Prince's sorrowful expression whilst Odette hesitantly retrieved the ring as her gaze grew hazy with tears, the Duke now set his eyes upon the girl and once again spoke.

"God knows I love you, for you are my only child. And God is my witness that I was a fool for not being a better father. I loved your mother... she was my strength and my wisdom, and her death left me without a guide in the world. So I did what I knew best... I cared for the King and left your care to the hands of those who were better at it. And I regret all the time I could have given you... the time I _should_ have given you... as I regret my cowardly demeanor; for I was too afraid to seek your forgiveness all these years, even with you being right next to me. I know not whether I will live to see the sunset and I would ask for your forgiveness now, before I leave, though I am unworthy of it."

Having watched him throughout his speech, Odette soon found no strength to hold back her tears anymore, as all the years of missing her father's presence and love came crashing down upon her. It was his last statement that ultimately compelled her to release the Prince's hand and step forward, latching onto her father in a tight embrace.

"You have been a good father... in your own way." she said in spite of her trembling voice. "I know how you grieved for mother, and though I indeed desired your presence more, I do not condemn you for tending to your duties. I have nothing to forgive, for you did me no wrong... still, if it will ease your mind and heart, then I will say that I do forgive you."

Finally snapping out of his awe William ultimately set his arms around her, giving in to his own tears.

"Your mother would have been more proud than even the most praised warrior, to see what you have become."

Leaning back and smiling to her, he placed a kiss to the girl's forehead before taking her hand. With his other he reached out for Hal and placed his daughter's hand in the Prince's, as was custom.

"I have seen your rowdy days, my Lord, but on this day I am proud to call you my son. I leave my daughter in your care and I advise you to heed her words, as I heeded her mother's, for true wisdom runs in her bloodline."

"And so I shall, for I have seen her wisdom with my own eyes." Hal smiled.

Now releasing Odette's hand he briefly embraced the Duke.

"So then come, father, and God be with us on the field!"

oOoOo

Many an hour had Odette stood at the edge of the camp, looking over the field; and many an hour had she wept for all those who had fallen, be it on the King's side or on Percy's, for in the end men were they all and all English.

It was after midday that she sighted, far in the distance, a pair of men approaching camp, one of them limping as he leaned upon the other, both of them covered in blood and mud. Her heart did leap with joy, however, when she recognized her beloved Hal and his brother, John, and she gave praise to God that they were both alive.

"Look, brother..."

At John's words, Hal did gaze up to where his brother was pointing, a smile coming to his lips as he saw Odette's figure profiled upon the whiteness of the tent behind her. Though breathless and in pain from the wounds he bore, he did now quicken his pace as much as he could, whilst his brother did the same to keep him standing.

"Never... never have I so craved peace... as I have on this day..." he spoke through heaves of breath.

"Is that not every man's desire, when in the aftermath of battle?" John replied.

"You speak wisely, brother John."

Patting the younger Prince's back as they exchanged a grin, he once more turned his gaze upon the camp, to sight his current goal... his fair Odette. His joy did die upon his face now when he saw that she was gone and a cold shiver crept along his spine.

"Brother, let us make haste..." he said, groaning in pain when he placed his weight upon his injured leg.

Averting his gaze toward the top of the hill as well, John then glanced to Hal confusedly.

"Why...?"

Before his question could be fully spoken, the wind carried to their ears the sounds of neighing horses and shouting men.

"Make haste!" Hal ordered, leaning back and pushing his brother out of his grasp. "They have attacked the camp!"

When John looked to him expectantly, he motioned toward the hill.

"Go, go! I will follow!"

Watching as his brother unsheathed his bloodied sword and rushed ahead, Hal now took a moment to brace himself against the pain before moving to follow. The only soldiers in the camp would be those with the worst wounds who had been returned there from the field. Aside from them, there would only be a few unarmed servant boys to guard the camp... and his fair Odette. And as he pushed his body onward, he prayed to God more ardently than ever before, that he would not arrive to find his beloved in the cold grasp of death.

Upon arriving to the camp edge, John was met with a terrible scene; many of the tents had been destroyed and men – soldiers and young servants – were scattered about the ground, many of them already dead, others on the verge of dying. Raising his gaze from the gruesome vision, he glanced about the camp; the reason why his brother had sent him ahead was clear, and by God he would keep Odette safe if it cost him his life.

It was upon turning a corner around one of the tents that he found her, clashing swords with one of the attackers. And for all his eagerness, he found himself entranced as he watched her, for she battled as bravely and as well as any soldier, despite being a woman. Where her enemy surpassed her in strength, she matched it with speed and grace that many of his attacks fell short of hitting her. Before the Prince could rush to aid her, he was now forced to turn and battle when two of the attackers sighted him.

When he moved was when Odette finally sighted him, though soon her attention was forced to return to her opponent... none other than Harold, whom she had hoped never to see again.

"Where is he?" he asked.

"I know not of whom you speak." she retorted.

"The Prince... that cowardly, dishonorable madcap!"

"If your desire is to see him, why are you not on the field where he is?"

"I had a little debt I was due to pay you, before meeting him."

Narrowing her eyes confusedly at his words, the woman then suddenly did understand.

"Is that why you joined with Percy? Because I am to marry the King's son?"

"Because he took what was rightfully mine... and God is my witness, I will have him pay, and you who refused my love to have a man no more worthy of his title than a dog is worthy of being called _Sir_!"

His anger did now fuel his body as he again lunged forward, this time his sword meeting hers. And it was then that Odette felt for a moment as though her arms would fall apart; such was the power behind his blow. When she stepped back to try and keep her balance, Harold took up his sword from hers and swept it horizontally; the only thing to save her from a deep wound was the thickness of her breastplate that only did allow the sword to cut her skin.

The searing pain rushed straight into her head, blinding her for a moment and cutting her knees from under her. With her palm pressed to her stomach she clenched her jaw and made to stand, when Harold thrust his hand into her hair to pull her head back. Her gaze did settle onto his for but a moment, before she saw that he had discarded his sword, favoring a dagger instead. When he aimed to run it through her neck, she could not tell what made her raise her arms and grasp his wrist.

Her body screamed in pain, and sweat did trickle down her face, and her arms were burning from the strain of holding his as he pushed forward, relentlessly trying to end her life. All she wished was to let go... no... what she wished, was that she could have seen Hal's face again. It was upon that thought – and when her strength began to fade – that she closed her eyes and there, in the depths of her mind, she saw him smiling in the tavern, with Falstaff and with Poins, and heard his laughter and his cheerful voice, and saw his auburn hair and his blue eyes and heard him say he loved her.

At first she knew not what had happened... she heard the rush of footsteps and a shout and then the weight upon her arms was gone. She heard the sound of bodies hit the ground and mail clinking and then swords clashed. And as she lay there, feeling still the coldness of the earth beneath her, she opened her eyes to the sight of her beloved Hal locked in battle with her would-be killer. Within the moment, she now felt a hand upon her shoulder and turned her gaze up to sight John.

"Are you well, my Lady?" he asked, a most concerned gaze upon his face.

Sitting up, she watched him in shock for but a moment before she lunged into his arms.

"By God, I should have been more careful..." the Prince said.

"You are alive and that is all that matters." she now replied.

Leaning away to look upon the fight, she once more pressed a hand to her bleeding stomach.

"Did he wound you?"

"Nothing bad... it is but a shallow cut."

Upon the field, Harold now did clash again with Hal.

"What honor have you to attack a woman?" the Prince scolded him.

"A woman? No... she is but a wench! An arrogant, whorish twat, fancying herself a Princess!"

His words were followed by Hal's fist which hit him in the face, and for a moment unbalanced him enough to let the Prince push him to the ground.

"I pray that God have mercy on your soul..." he said, breathing heavily from the pain of his wounds. "For I will have none after you soiled my beloved's ears with your lies."

Looking up whilst wiping off the blood from his nose, Harold stood with a groan.

"So you're Harry..."

"I am the Prince of Wales!" he shouted angrily, and for a moment Odette sighted Harold shrinking away before his regal tone and his majestic aura. "And now I know you... you are Harold of Hemingway, are you not?"

"I am!" the male replied, taking up his sword.

"God is my witness I have wanted to meet you... and that Odette spoke kindly of you when I asked. Yet you sully her name and call her what she is not... and for what reason? That she would choose another man in your place? Should a nobleman not be above such petty envy?"

"I was more than suited for her hand!"

"You are but a servant!" Hal shouted back with such intensity in his gaze that Harold did take a step back. "Yet you stand here, challenging me, the heir to the throne... this shows how little you are worth. She is of royal blood, the kind you would have spilled onto this ground had I not stopped you. And yet you think yourself a worthy suitor?"

When Harold failed to answer this time, the Prince did take up his own sword.

"Then let us fight, if you will not surrender... and let God decide which of us is worthier of her."


	8. Aftermath

Guys I'm sooooooooooo sorry I haven't updated this story for so long. I've gotten SO sucked up into working on my _Avengers _fic that I completely forgot about everything and everyone else (okay, maybe I'm exaggerating... a bit)

But here's the next chapter for our lovely Prince Hal and his fair Lady. And before I let you read I'd like to give a very heartfelt **THANK YOU** to everyone who has reviewed, favorited and/or followed so far. You guys are the best and I love you all more than you can imagine :D

Now enjoy, lovelies~

P.S. I do not own any of the _Hollow Crown_ characters. I only own Odette and any other OC you might encounter along the way :)

* * *

**Aftermath**

_"Then let us fight, if you will not surrender... and let God decide which of us is worthier of her."_

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Though shortly hesitant Harold now lunged forward, his sword coming down from above in his attempt to have the steel bite into the Prince's shoulder. With Hal parrying his blow, despite his ragged breath, the nobleman tried to use his body's weight to break the young heir's stance. However, Hal brought up his injured leg, gritting his teeth at the pain he knew would come, and kicked the noble in his armor, the blow throwing them both off balance and landing them in the mud. Scrambling to his feet, Hal again picked up his sword though his arm felt as if it would crumble and his whole body was shaking with fatigue and pain. His breath was painful, like searing fire in his lungs, making him moan in agony even as he limped over to Harold only to find that he had lost consciousness upon hitting his head on a rock in the fall, blood now seeping from beneath his helmet.

The sheer relief rendered him to his knees whilst his sword escaped his tired grasp. It was at that sight that Odette moved to stand and despite her own pain ran over to Hal followed closely by John. Arriving at his side she too dropped to her knees and flung her arms around him whilst the Prince now leaned to her and closed his eyes; never had he felt more at ease than he did now in her loving embrace.

"My Lord, your wounds need tending..." she said before kissing his bloodstained forehead.

"I pray you... let me rest... for but a moment..." he replied amidst painful breaths. "For your embrace... is more soothing... than the most revered healer."

Unable to hold back a chuckle in spite of the joyful tears now staining her face, Odette leaned down to kiss his lips as he rested his head onto her chest.

"You would speak in fancy words even whilst you die..." she retorted in jest.

"If you were there... to hear them... I would..."

Faintly smiling as he stated that, he then finally did lean away with a groan and set his arm around John's shoulders whilst the younger Prince hefted him to his feet.

"Leave him lie..." he said, gesturing to Harold. "His body shall join the others and feed the worms upon this field."

With that he allowed his brother to lead him to one of the still standing tents whilst Henry and the soldiers did finally return.

"You go inside and rest... I will have words with your father in your stead." Odette said leaving the two males at the tent.

Upon arriving in front of the King's horse, she bowed her head for she could not bow properly due to her wound.

"What happened here?"

"My liege, a group of seven came from the woods... led by Harold of Hemingway. They killed most of the wounded which had been returned from the field, as they slew three of the unarmed servants left to guard the camp. Prince Harry battled and killed Harold, as Prince John killed two others."

When she lowered her head and clenched her teeth in pain, her knees once more turning to useless rags beneath her weight, the Earl of Westmoreland rushed to her side to grasp her arm.

"Did they harm you?" the King asked.

"But a shallow wound, my sovereign King... Prince Harry did arrive in time and saved my life. I sent him to my tent with his brother, for his wounds are deeper and greater in number than mine. If you have need of me, so... if not, I will withdraw to tend to him."

"Go... and Lord Westmoreland, take her to her tent then send someone to help her."

"I will, my liege." the elder nobleman replied.

Whilst the King turned his horse around Odette now did glance about.

"My King!" she called out. "Have you any word of my father?"

When he glanced to her in silence, the woman did feel a cold shiver run down her back whilst her heart cringed in her chest.

"The Duke of Willoughby... is dead... my Lady." Westmoreland replied gently. "I saw him with my own eyes, lying in the field, five rebels dead around him."

His face grew hazy in her sight as tears drowned her chocolate eyes and overflowed along her cheeks. Watching as the King rode away, she felt all strength abandoning her; had the elder Earl not been at her side, she would have likely fallen to the ground.

"Come, child..." he said, lightly urging her on.

Upon entering the tent, he bowed his head to the two Princes, whilst Hal moved to his feet with a painful grimace.

"What happened?" he asked. "My fair Lady's cheek is stained in tears and she does shake like a leaf in the wind."

Even as he spoke, he reached out and wrapped his arms around Odette who clung to him and buried her face in his shirt, for he had taken off the armor and the mail to ease his breathing.

"Her father did I see below... lying in the field with rebels all around him, sleeping their eternal sleep. And when I went to him I found no breath, for his wounds were too many and too deep."

Silenced by the news, all the Prince could do was tighten his embrace on his beloved and nod to the Earl to let him withdraw.

"I will send someone to help tend to you my Lord, your brother and Lady Odette."

With those words he left the tent whilst Hal now pressed his cheek to the side of the woman's head.

"He died a brave and noble death, my Lady..." he whispered, not knowing how else to comfort her.

Her only response was a nod, as otherwise she did not move or speak. Forsaking all desire to rest, the Prince merely stood there with her in silence until she ceased her shaking and leaned away from him.

"Come... let me tend to your wounds." she said, wiping away her tears with the back of her hand.

For while her father's death was painful, Hal was still alive and needed care else she lost him as well; and she could use that to distract herself from her grief. Helping him back to his brother she seated him upon a chair.

"Are you wounded, John?" she now asked whilst helping Hal out of his shirt.

"No more than bruises, my fair Lady." the younger prince smiled.

"He was the more fortunate soldier..." Hal chuckled. "And did bravely slay all who dared to challenge him."

Offering the younger brother a smile, Odette then cringed at the sight of the bleeding wound upon Hal's shoulder. Taking up a clean cloth she poured water onto it and gently started cleaning the blood and mud from the cut.

"Why do you look upon me as if I'm dead?" he asked, sighting her sorrowful expression.

"I look upon you as if you are an injured fool..." she retorted humorously.

With a chuckle the Prince brought his healthy arm around her waist and pressed his face to her stomach.

"Lie still you giddy goose..." she laughed. "And let me clean your wounds before you bleed to death."

"Give me a kiss, and by my word, I'll lie so still you shall think me dead indeed." he replied with a wink after leaning back.

Glancing to John who was trying his best to hold in his laughter, she then grasped a strand of Hal's hair and lightly tugged on it.

"Have you no respect for your brother, that you would force him to witness such an improper scene?"

"Were it by me, he would already be married..." the Prince replied with a shrug. "No harm in teaching him how to handle a woman."

When she glanced away whilst trying – and mostly failing – to hold back a smile, he tensed his arm to make her lean against him.

"Come, my fair angel... will you not kiss the valiant soldier who, just earlier this day, did take the breath from Harry Percy's chest?"

It was at those words that she looked at him again, with an astounded expression.

"Is he who gave you these wounds?"

"Just the one on the thigh, as he says..." John replied on a displeased tone.

"Brother John..." Hal began.

When Odette looked to him with a puzzled glance, the younger brother did now speak interrupting Hal's phrase.

"I will not keep silent, my Lord, brother!" he retorted. "For you did battle Percy, you did risk your life, you did gain that wound... and yet you would let that gross fat man have your praise upon himself! And do not tell me he spoke the truth of Percy rising where you left him, for both you and I could hear his lies as though they were thunder in our ears."

"What?" Odette breathed out in anger.

Looking back to her, Hal grasped her hands and kissed them both.

"Peace, my Lady, peace..."

Freeing one hand she pointed her index finger right beneath his nose, rendering him momentarily speechless as he raised his eyes from her digit to her furious gaze.

"Lest you have a bloody good reason to gift your hard-earned glory to that flagitious mound of grease and sack, I shall have no peace until I thrust my sword down his lying throat."

"I pray you, fair Odette, to hear me out... for I did grant him that, I will not lie; I did it in repayment of the debt I owed him. For while he is indeed a scoundrel, and a liar, he did serve me by his word more than once."

With a sigh, Odette finally softened her gaze somewhat and trailed a hand amidst his hair.

"So then repay him in some other way... why must you trade that which would earn you your father's heart again?"

"O my love..." he sighed, leaning his forehead against her stomach. "It would have earned me but a fleeting honor. I have yet much to do if I am to regain my father's heart."

Watching him in silence for a moment, Odette then glanced back to John.

"If you are not too tired, do go see what keeps the healer..." she said softly.

"And so I shall, my fair sister." he smiled before rushing out of the tent.

"Now lie still..." she said to Hal once his brother was gone.

"Give me my kiss and I shall..." he replied, in an attempt to ease her mood.

Ultimately failing to hold back a smile of her own, she leaned down and pressed her lips to his with all the need and love she had for him. Upon leaning away she did chuckle softly.

"Were you not sworn to be my husband, I would not even regard you."

"Then I am twice blessed... once to have you as my future wife and once to be your future husband."

"You incorrigible jester..." she retorted, rolling her eyes at his antics. "Now lie still, I'll not warn you again."

Finally settling down, the Prince allowed her to cleanse his wound, the healer then applying honey and herbs to it along with a bandage.

"It was a clean cut, my Lord. It should heal without leaving a too visible scar. The wound on the thigh was shallow; it shall heal faster than your shoulder."

"Thank you..."

After his reply, the healer now did turn to Odette.

"My Lady, Lord Westmoreland did tell me you were injured."

Sighting Hal's widened eyes, the girl now smiled.

"You were much too busy embracing me, my Lord, to even notice my wound?"

Discarding her leather coat as she had removed her mail earlier, she then lifted her shirt to expose the horizontal cut across her belly, the healer motioning her to the ground.

"Do lie down, my Lady... I am sure it looks worse than it is. Allow me to clean it and tend to it."

Doing as she had been told, the woman did smile when Hal settled onto his knees and placed her head onto his lap.

"Had I known he had already wounded you, I would have been far less merciful and slain him before I'd even learned his name." he stated, placing his palm to her cheek.

"It was but a shallow cut, my beloved Lord..." she replied prior to kissing his hand. "Had my father not left instructions that I were taught to use a sword, I surely would be dead by now."

"O fair Odette, speak not such words that pluck the very roots of hope from my heart." the Prince now pleaded. "Speak not of death, that cold and ruthless enemy, which I have no power to frighten from you forever."

"We all owe God a death, my Lord... be it in youth or in old age... we all must go."

"Then I pray to God I may go with you... for should you go before me, my life would be as death... barren, cold and desolate. And I would feel no more warmth in the sun, and no more perfume in the flowers, and I would see no more beauty in this world."

"Truth you speak, my beloved Lord, for I do pray the same... that I may leave this world with you, when time comes for God to summon us. That I would not be denied your handsome face, your tender touch, your loving gaze wherein I see the clear sky each time I look."

Leaning down the Prince now gently kissed her lips, as though to seal their words as he would a vow. Turning his gaze then to the healer, he did fall silent watching as the man tended to her wound. With his leave, the Prince settled at her side taking her in his arms.

"Rest, my fair Odette... rest, for tomorrow we must away to London." he whispered against her forehead.


End file.
